We have all heard of the term counterfeit money so what exactly is it?

This is the production of currency without the proper licences from a Government; it can also be know as funny money or forgery and as long as there has been money there have been people around that have been able to produce near exact copies and pass it off as ‘real money’.

With the run up to Christmas now here, most people will be purchasing goods with legitimate money, however there will be Forgers that will be looking for shops, vans and market stalls that do not have any counterfeit detection or banknote checkers and they will be handing over their counterfeit notes and walking away with goods, while the shopkeepers will be left with nothing.

Did you know that ‘real’ bank notes will not fluoresce under UV light but have a fluorescent marking which will ‘light up’ when exposed to the UV light?

An Ultraviolet Counterfeit Detection Lamp is one of the best ways to check the money you receive is genuine. Forgers will try various methods to get past this from washing the paper in suntan lotion (which makes the paper greasy) to printing the paper with a varnish (which will give the paper a strange feel).

If you find a counterfeit note in your possession it is worth remembering that there is nothing you can do to recoup your money as you accepted it without checking first.